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Posted Tuesday, August 28, 2012

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Author
Topic: Confused on types of testing and time line (Read 4671 times)

I would like to thank all who provide information and direction on this forum subject. Keep up the good work!

I was exposed to about 11 weeks ago. On the 9th week I got concerned due to possible related ARS symptoms I found online, symptoms starting at week 2 and lasted till week 10. I went to a local HIV outreach clinic that is state/fed funded. After discussing my exposure and symptoms with the HIV consular the consular scheduled a HIV-1 RNA PCR real time viral load test since I was inside the window period. I took the viral load test right at 73 days date from exposure. A week later the consular called me to schedule me to read my test results to me in person, which I was terrified as she did not want to give me the results over the phone. My viral load test results was HIV-1 RNA non- detectable <20 copies/ml. The consular stated I was most likely HIV negative but then she request to swab me with an oral fluid HIV test to confirm that I was HIV 1&2 negative. My oral fluid test was negative. The consular then told me that I needed to come back post 13 weeks to retest for HIV by doing another oral test for my results to be conclusive.

I am new to all this HIV stuff, testing, etc.... & very naive about HIV. Why did the consular make me do a blood/serum HIV RNA viral load test then still tested me with a HIV anti body oral test while I was still inside what is called a window period. Why is not my HIV RNA PCR viral load test is not conclusive since it was two tubes of blood they took from me? Also why they did not check for me for HIV-2 with the RNA PCR viral load test. Is my oral fluid test confirming good news even if I took the test 80 days after my exposure? Are both of this test accurate and accountable? Please advise ad I do not understand what my consular is telling me.

Your risk was very much on the low end of the scale. I've yet to see the insertive partner end up hiv positive following a condom break and I've been giving hiv transmission and testing advice for over ten years.

You absolutely did not need RNA PCR testing. You were robbed as those tests are very expensive. A simple rapid hiv antibody test would have met your needs.

While the window period remains at three months, the vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six weeks, with the average time to seroconversion being only 22 days. A six week (or more) negative must be confirmed at the three month point, but is highly unlikely to change.

Your last antibody test was done at nearly eleven and a half weeks - you can test again at twelve or thirteen weeks (either is conclusive) but the result is not going to change. Test again if you need to see that final negative for peace of mind. It's not going to change.

You do not have hiv.

While we're at it, here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection:

You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL sexually transmitted infections together.

To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with an STI. Sex without a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence. Make sure you do this. A correctly used condom rarely breaks.

Anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.

If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results.

Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

For a piece of mind I will retest at the 13 weeks as I went to a dermatologist today who diagnosed me with a folliculitis that I been having for the past two weeks. Rash is located on both sides of my buttocks ans on the right side only of my lower to mid back.

When I asked the dermatologist if this folliculitis rash was related to an early/acute/primary HIV infect he replied 'No", but he did come back with saying HIV can be a thousand things. The dermatologist prescribed with with a script of Doxycycline 100mg and a skin liquid solution "Clindamycin".

Yes, the RNA PCR VL test was quite a chunk of my Xmas shopping money I had saved up. The clinic where I did the testing offers free HIV 1/2 rapid oral testing, but any blood work testing has a fee/cost to it at $100 or above. Just curious on where the rapid test are free of charge and why the HIV blood test have such a fee? Is it due to a quality and lab issue, etc... Are the rapid oral test as accurate at 13 weeks as a regular HIV blood/serum test at 13 weeks? If not then I guess I will just have to bite the bullet a spend another +$100 or so to get a solid conclusive result.

I just retested today at post 86 days at the same HIV outreach clinic. I tested again with the rapid oral HIV 1/2 test since it is free at the clinic and is the only test they offer for walk ins. My test results came out nonreactive. Can I call these last results conclusive are do I need to test at 120 days and/or 180 days? I seen on "The Body" that they are telling people to test at 90 days and retest at 120 days if you had a known exposure.

With this I can move on and have unprotected sex with my monogamous fiancée? My fiancée is currently in the military and is on a 3 month special field training and will be returning a week before Xmas. I screwed up and strayed as I was getting lonely when I picked up the girl who I had a exposure with. The girl was a working girl out of one of the Vegas casinos and she looked like she did not used IV drugs, also she had her own condoms, but as you know the condom we used during sex ended up busting.

Yes, you can continue on sexually with your fiancee IF she has reliably tested negative for HIV. The only time a couple can safely dispense with using condoms is when they are in a securely monogamous relationship in which both partners reliably test negative for HIV.

I know it was stated that my test results area conclusive, but I still have the odd looking rash on my back the has been remaining since it broke out. It has been moving around to my upper arms, also still remains confined mostly to lower and middle back. The medication that my dermatologist gave me seems not to be working, also last week I broke out with one small dry red flake spot on my face about just under the size of a dime. I been having headaches, feel dizzy at times and Esophageal dysphagia for the last three weeks, also excessive burping and gas.

I have called my dermatologist medical office about this persistent rash, but they are closed until 2/Jan. I can not sleep due to my worries of this rash and headaches/dizzy.

I have much concerns about my current symptoms so this morning I went back the the HIV clinic and did another rapid oral fluid HIV 1/2 test that was negative (112 days post exposure).

I have come clean about my straying with my fiance and she is also very concerned about my symptoms being related to HIV. She says she foregives me about the CSW sex, but refuses to have any unprotected sex with me and has concerns about open mouth kissing, etc... This is putting a strain on our relationship.

Does this sound like a late sero-conversion with my current symptoms? Do I need testing at 120 days or 180 days?

I do not want to sound like a worried well, but my symptoms and concerns are very true and I believe it is not due to stressing over HIV.

Just have serious concerns with my ongoing persistent rash and the other symptoms as I never experience anything like this prior my exposure and it is hard for me to except my results. I would think it would be like you stated that it is guilt working on me but the actual skin rash I would think stress and guilt can not produce. I prey for me to move on but still have the feeling that I am HIV+.

I got my upper GI endoscopy results back today which I did last week due to my ongoing dysphagia. I was found to have a normal esophagus, but have multiple non-bleeding erosions in the gastric antrum and moderate inflammation and shallow ulcers in the duodenal. I have been pre-scribed some type of medication to reduce the overall inflamation.

■Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result, or no-risk situation will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

The part I do not understand is my ongoing symptoms and possible false negative results.

Ya'll are the experts and all I am asking if above upper GI issues can be related to HIV. Do you know?

The reason I am asking on this form is that when I told the ENT doctor of my possible exposure and that my GI issues might be related to a recent HIV infection the doctor basically told me to find another doctor and walked out of the room. So I did not mention nothing about my possible exposure to the recent GI doctor that did the upper GI endoscope.

You will not be allowed to feed your fears be relentlessly posting on this forum. It was not designed to provide counseling for HIV phobia.

Logged

"Many people, especially in the gay community, turn to oral sex as a safer alternative in the age of AIDS. And with HIV rates rising, people need to remember that oral sex is safer sex. It's a reasonable alternative."

NO, the upper GI problems you're having would not be related to hiv infection, even if you were hiv positive. Keep working with your doctors to find out what is causing your GI issues. Whatever that may be, it is NOT hiv. You do NOT have hiv!

If you read the Welcome Thread before posting like you're supposed to, you will have read the following posting guideline:

Quote

Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Just following up to say thanks for all the support and feed back when I was going through this stressful moment in my life. And yes y'all was all correct. My 6 months HIV 1&2 ELISA 3rd generation blood test came out negative.